Type-writing machine.



V. J. MOI-I LER. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILI2D APR.10, 1911.

Patented May 12, 191* ATTORN PM (0-. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VALENTIN JOSEPH IVIOHLEB, O-F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNDERWOODTYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VALENTIN Jos'nrH Morrnnn,a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Type- VVriting Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to mechanism for clutching the platen of atypewriting machine to the line-spacing device, to provide for the usualuniform 1ine-spacing of the platen; and for releasing the platen fromthe line-spacing device to permit of independent movement of the two, sothat fractional or irregular adjustment of the platen may be effectedwhen desired.

An object of the invention is to provide, for the purpose stated, aclutch which will grip the platen to the line-spacing device in numerouspositions; and which, in so gripping the platen, will not disturb theadjustment thereof, but on the contrary will hold the platen positivelyin such manner that no play of the parts or disturbance of theadjustment can take place until the clutch is again operated to releasethe platen for another adjustment.

It is a feature of the invention that by means of the same the platenmay be adjusted with extreme finesse. It is characteristic of theinvention that the mechanism forming the same may be of few and durableparts, compact in structure, neat in appearance, and absolutely reliablein operation.

In the preferred form of the invention, it is the platen which ispermanently secured to the platen shaft, and the line-spam ing wheelwhich is locked to and released from the shaft in the operation of thedevice. The clutch is shown as comprising a pin or detent carryingmember, and a pin Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1911.

Paten ted May 12, 1914.

Serial No. 619,980.

1 is a perspective view of the assembled mechanism. Fig. 2 is a view incross section of the mechanism, the parts being shown in normal positionwith the platen locked to the line-spacing wheel.

3 Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 except that the parts are in platenreleasing position. Fig. 4 is a View in cross section on the line 4-1 ofFig. .3 looking in the direction of the arrow a. Fig. 5 is a view incross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of thearrow 6. Fig. 6 is a detail View in cross section of Fig. 8,illustrating the locking of the line spacing wheel by two llock pins.Fig. 7 is a view in cross section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2 looking inthe direction of the arrow 0. Fig. 8 is a detail view looking at theface of the pin hole plate and showing the relative position of lockpins and pin holes in one adjusted position of the platen. Fig. 9 is adetail view showing one group of six of the lock pin springs formed froma single piece of metal.

Mounted in the carriage 1 is a platen shaft 2, carrying a platen 3, ahand wheel 4, and a line-spacing wheel or disk 5. The linespacingmovement of the wheel 5 is effected as in the Underwood machine by meansof a pawl 6 carried by a slide 7 which is operated by a line-spacinglever B. A spring 9 returns the slide to normal position after 1 eachoperation; and a spring detent l0 holds the lure-spacing wheel with theplaten in the positions to which the same are fed.

The hand wheel is made fast to the platen shaft by means of a set screw11 which extends through a hub 12 of the hand wheel. The line-spacingwheel 5 is not mounted directly upon the platen shaft 9. but is carriedby a cup or casing 13 which rides upon a sleeve 15 secured to the shaftby means of a pin 16. The line-spacing wheel is threaded at 17 onto thecup 13 so that in the operation of the device, the line-space wheel andcup act as a unit, the cup 13 and wheel or disk 5 together form aninclosing easing,

to the platen, but permit of relative rotary movement of the platen andline-spacing wheel. Normally, however, the line-spacing wheel is lockedto theplaten shaft sothat the line-spacing movements of the platen maybe effected from the spacing wheel in the usual manner; and for thispurpose there are a number of lock pins or detents 18, which, when thestructure is assembled, permanently engage a disk 23 fast to the sleeve15, and are shiftable into and out of corresponding holes or recesses 24in the in ner face of the cup 13, thereby locking and unlocking cup 13,which carries the ratchet wheel, and sleeve 15, which is fast to theplaten shaft. This shifting movement of the lock pins 18, in a directionparallel to the platen shaft, is effected by means of a second disk 19which is longitudinally movable on the platen shaft, and which will bereferred to as the pin carrying disk.

The pins 18 are not fast to the disk 19 but are mounted to yieldperpendicularly there to. The pins pass entirely through the disk 19 andhave heads 18 against each of which. there bears a leaf spring 20,tending to hold the head of thepin against the face of the carryingdisk. The springs 20 are secured to thepin carrying disk between thelatter and plates 21. by means of screws 22. The pins are arranged ingroups as shown in Fig. 7, and this grouping provides for the locationof the plates 21 which hold the springs 20. For convenience, the springs20 are made in units of six each from pieces of the spring material, asshownin Fig. 9. To prevent angular displacement of the plates 21, theends 30 of the same are pointed and hooked over to engage incorresponding recesses in the disk 19. There are shown three plates 21each holding three pairs of springs 20, the number, length, anddisposition of the springs corresponding to the number and arrangementof the locking pins.

To unlock the line-spacing wheel from the platen shaft so that thelatter may be independently adjusted, it is merely necessary to shiftthe pin carrying disk 19 from i ig. 2 to Fig. 3 position, this movementbeing sufficient to cause the withdrawal from the face of cup 13 of anypins .18 which may have been in engagement with pin holes 241 in theface of the cup. The disk 19 is normally held in platen locking positionby means of a coil spring 25 which bears at one end against thelinesspacing wheel and at its other end against the disk 19 tending tourge the latter toward the inside face of the cup.

The shifting of the disk 19, against the action of the spring 25, iseffected by means of a push button 26. This push button carriesa pair ofplungers 27 which extend through passages in the hub 12 of the handwheel, and through corresponding passages 28 in the sleeve 15' on whichthe ratchet wheel rides so as to hear at their inner ends against thepin carrying disk. The plungers are of two diameters to provideshoulders 27 which, by engagement iWif-ll the inner face of the handwheel hub 12, serve as stops to determine the normal position of the pincarrying disk, and to limit the throw of the same under the ac- .tion ofthe spring 25. Then the push but- ;ton 26 is moved toward the platen,this. 1 movement is transmitted by the plungers 27 r j to the pincarrying disk. After a movement of the pin carrying disk, sufficient torelease .the platen, the push button is stopped by engagement with theface of the hand wheel hub and the pin carrying disk is then held 1against movement in platen releasing posit1on, by the plungers 27 on theone hand,

and by the spring 25 on the other hand.

After the adjustment of The pins are located at three'different radialdistances from the axis of the clutch, there being two pins in eachgroup, or six pins :1n all, whlch are equidistant from the clutch axis.

The lock pin holes 24 in the cup 13 are arranged in three concentriccircles, the radii of which circles correspond respectively to the threeradial distances separating the pins from the clutch axis. There aretwenty-three holes in each circle as shown in Fig. 4, the pin holecenters in each circle being spaced at equal angular distances.

The pin centers are also'm'etho'dically positioned around the clutchaxis but with angular spacing which differs from that of the pin holes.The disposition of the lock pins with respect to the pin holes is suchthat no two of the eighteen lock pins can simul-- taneonsly truly centerwith a lock pin hole.

If one pin is so centered, then all of the other pins are more or lessofi center with respect to the opposing lock pin holes. The arrangementof the pins and pin holes is an adaptation'of the idea. of the Verniergage, where the pins may for purposes of illustration be viewed as thevernler divithe other scale, or vice verst. With this idea in mind, itfollows that when one pin is centered with a hole, another pin is almostcentered, and the other pins are off center by gradually increasingamounts. As shown in Fig. 6, the pins have conical ends 31, so that eventhough the pin may be off center with respect to the opposing hole, itmay nevertheless enter that hole to an extent depending upon the amountby which the pin is off center. If sufficiently o'lf center, the pin maystrike the plate of the cup 13 between two holes, and cannot enter anyhole. The pins are yieldably mounted in the pin carrying disk 19 so thatthe disk may be given its full throw even though many of the pins arestopped at the surface of the cup plate or can enter the pin holes to aslight extent only. Since there are twenty-three holes in each of theconcentric circles in the cup 13 (see Fig. 4), it follows that there aretwenty-three adjusted positions of the platen in which the same one pincan be centered with some pin hole: and since there are eighteen pinsand the numbers 18 and 23 are prime to each other, it follows that thereare 18x23, or 414: adjusted positions of the platen in which there willbe a pin which centers with a hole. If any one pin is truly centeredsuch pin will resist efforts tending to disturb the adjustment; but onepin alone unless truly centered would not only not prevent disturbanceof the adjustment, but by reason of its spring pressure would assist insuch disturbance. One pin alone, however, whether truly centered or not,is not necessarily relied upon in the present invention to preventdisturbance of adjustment: every pin that to any extent projects into apin hole assists in the holding of the platen fixed with respect to theline-spacing wheel. Referring again to the Vernier, it will beremembered that when one Vernier division registers with a division onthe other scale, those Vernier divisions to one side will be off centerby increasing amounts in one direction; whereas those divisions to theother side will be off center in the other direction by increasingamounts. So in the present invention, certain of the pins will be offcenter on one side of the pin holes, and certain others off center onthe other side. The result is as indicated in Fig. 6, from which it willbe seen that wherever two pins are off center on ditfcrent sides, thecup plate 13 is positively clamped or held against movement between thepins. This locking action exists not only for one pair of pins but forall the pins except those which by striking the surface of the cup plateare prevented from entering any hole. Reference has been made to fourhundred and fourteen adjusted positions of the platen in which some onepin is centered, and in which the locking is assisted by other pinspartially projecting into their pin holes. It does not follow however,that there are but four hundred and fourteen possible adjustments of theplaten. The number of possible adjustments is very great for, eventhough no pin truly centers in any hole, still the conditions indivatedin Fig. 6 can readily occur.

The mechanism above specifically described may be *ariously modifiedwithin the scope of the invention. The style of pin or detent and of therecesses therefore may be varied; and the positioning and mounting ofthe clutch members may be reversed or otherwise changed so long as theirproper relations are maintained, without involving a departure from theinvention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft, a platenon the shaft, a line spacing wheel, a cup by which said line spacingwheel is carried, said cup being mounted to permit of rotation thereofrela tively to the platen, and having a recessed inner face, a pin ordetent carrying device secured to the platen against rotation withrespect thereto contained within said cup between the recessed facethereof and the line spacing wheel, and means for shifting said detentcarrying device relatively to the recessed face of the cup to cause adetent on said device to engage and disengage t recess in the cup.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft, a platenon the shaft, a line spacing wheel, a cup by which said line spacingwheel is carried, said cup being mounted to permit of rotation thereofrela tively to the platen, and having a recessed inner face, a pin ordetent carrying device secured to the platen against rotation withrespect thereto contained within said cup between the recessed facethereof and the line spacing wheel, a hand wheel fast to the platen, aplunger extendingthrough the hand wheel and through the inner face ofthe cup to bear against the detent carrying device within the cup,whereby the detent carrying device may be moved away from the inner faceof the cup to withdraw the detent from the latter to release the platenfrom the line spacing wheel.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combina tion of a platen shaft, aplaten fast to the shaft, a line-spacing wheel, a pin or detent carryingdevice secured to the shaft to ro-- tate as a unit therewith con'in-ising a group of axially movable detcnts, a single spring individuallyoperating all the pins in said group, and means for shifting said detentcarrying device longitudinally of the platen shaft to cause the dctcntsof the detent carrying device to engage and disengage the line-spacingwheel.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft, a platenon the shaft, a line-spacing wheel means for releasably connecting theplaten and line-spacing wheel comprising a surface having a plurality ofrecesses therein and a device carrying a plurality of axially movablepins or detents for engagement with the said recesses, said detents andrecesses being arranged differently on their respective carriers wherebycertain detents may be off center with respect to opposing recesses,while other detents are centered with respect to opposing recesses, asingle spring individually operating a pluralit of said detents, andmeans for shifting saic detent carrying device longitudinally of theshaft between platen locking and platen releasing positions, to causeone or more of the detents to engage and disengage the said recesses,

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft, a platenfast to the shaft, a line-spacing wheel, a group of axially movable pinsor detents, a single spring individually operating the detents of saidgroup, a pin or detent carrying device secured to the shaft to rotate asa unit therewith, a hand wheel fast to the platen, and a device carriedby the hand wheel for shifting said detent carryin device longitudinallyof the platen shaft to cause the cletents of the detent carrying deviceto engage and disengage the line-spacing wheel.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft, a platenfast to the shaft, ailine-spacing wheel, a group of axially movable pinsor detents, a single spring individually operating the detents of saidgroup, a .pin or detent carrying device secured to the shaft to rotateas a unit therewith, a hand wheel fast to the platen, a plunger carriedby the hand wheel for mov ing said pin or detent carrying device todisengage the detents thereof from the linespacing wheel, and a springfor moving said pin or detent carrying device to cause the detentsthereof to reengage the line-spacing wheel when the plunger is released.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination ofa platen, a line-spacingwheel, a clutch to releasably connect the platen and said wheel, saidclutch comprising a disk having a plurality of circles of pin holesconcentric with the platen axis, said clutch also comprising a membercarrying a plu rality of lock pins positioned at different distancesfrom the platen axis, some of which distances correspond to the radiusof one of the pin hole circles and the others of which distancescorrespond to the radius of another of the pin hole circles, there beinga number of pins at the same radius and the pins being arranged inseparated clusters or groups, the pins on the one member being also soarranged with respect to the pin holes in the other member that when any8. In a typewriting machine, the combi= natlon of a platen, aline-spacing wheel, a'

clutch to releasably connect the platen and said wheel, said clutchcomprising a disk having a plurality of circles of pin holes concentricwith the platen axis, said clutch also comprising a member carrying aplurality of lock pins positioned at difierent distances from the platenaxis, some of which. distances correspond to the radius of one of thepin hole circles and the others of which distances correspond to theradius of another of the pin hole circles, there being a number of pinsat the same radius and the pins being arranged in separated clusters orgroups, the pins 011 the one member being also so arranged with respectto the pin holes in the other member that when any one pin trulyregisters with its opposing pin hole, the other pins are out of registerwith. re spect to their opposing pin holes bygradually increasingamounts, means for shifting said clutch members relatively to eachotheralong the axis of the clutch to cause the same to engage and disengage,and means secured to the pin carrying member between the groups of pinsthereon for resiliently holding said pins in position in said pincarrying member.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a rotatable platen, ofa linespace wheel, and a clutch forming a releas able connection betweensaid platen and line-space wheel, said clutch comprising two cooperatingmembers, one of said members having a series of openings therein, aseries of axially movable pins in the other member, a single leaf springoperating a number of said pins,.and manual means for moving said pins.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft, aplaten fast to the shaft, a line-spacing wheel, a clutch to form areleasable connectionbetween the platen and said wheel, said clutchincluding a releasable clutching member comprising a group of axiallymovable pins secured to the shaft to rotate as a unit therewith, and asingle spring individually operating all the pins in said group. I

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft, aplaten on the shaft, a line-spacing wheel, a pin or detent carryingdevice secured to the platen to rotate as a unittherewith comprising agroup of axially movable detents, a single spring individually operatingall the pins in said group, and means for effecting a releasing movementbetween said detent carrying device and line-spacing wheel.

12. Ina typewriting machine, the combination with a rotatable platen anda linespace wheel, of a clutch comprising a part having a series ofaxially movable pins arranged in a plurality of concentric circles, andalso comprising a part having a series of openings arranged incorresponding circles, the number of openings being materially greaterthan the number of pins, and a pin-operating means including a singlespring arranged to operate a plurality of said pins.

13. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and aline-space wheel, of a clutch comprising a member having numerous pins,and a member having a multitude of openings to receive the pins, thespacing of all of said openings having a differential relation to thespacing of all of the pins, to permit but a single pin and opening toregister at a time.

14. In a typc'writing .n'iachine, the combination with a platen and aline-space wheel, of a clutch comprising a member having a series ofpins, and a member having a series of openings to receive the pins, saidpins and openings being so spaced that when one pin registers with anopening, the remaining pins are out of register with their adjacentopenings by gradually increasing amounts, whereby a fine and practicallyuniversal adjustment of the platen relatively to the line-space wheelmay be obtained.

15. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and aline-space wheel, of a clutch comprising a member having a plurality ofpins, and a member having a plurality of openings to receive the pins,said pins and openings being so spaced that the number of positions inwhich a pin and opening register during a complete rotation of theplaten relatively to the linespace wheel is the product of the number ofopenings and pins.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and aline-space wheel, of a connecting clutch comprising a member formed witha number of annular series of equally spaced openings, and a memberhaving a plurality of pins including a pin or pins to register with eachof said series, said pins being so spaced and positioned that only onepin and opening can register at once.

17 In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and platenaxle, of a cup or casing loosely mounted on said axle, a disk remo-vablyconnected with the casing and forming a cover plate therefor, teethsurrounding the disk to form a line-space wheel, and clutch mechanism insaid cup for connecting and disconnecting the latter from the platenaxle.

'18. In a ty iewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a cup, avdisk ren'iovably connected to the cup to form a closure therefor, teethon said disk to form a line-space wheel, and clutch mechanism housedwithin said cup.

19. In a typewritiing machine, the combination of a platen shaft, aplaten on the shaft, a line-space wheel, connecting means between theplaten and line-space wheel comprising a surface having a plurality ofrecesses therein and a device carrying a plurality of pins or detentsfor engagement with the said recesses, a plate fast to the platenbetween the detent carrying device and the said recessed surface, saidplate having holes therein for guiding the detents of the detentcarrying device, and means for shifting said detent carrying device andsaid surface relatively one to the other between the platen locking andplaten releasing positions, to cause one or more of the detents toengage and disengage the said recesses.

20. In a typewriting machine, the co1nbination of a platen shaft, aplaten fast to the sl aft, a liue-space wheel loose on the shaft, meanson said wheel having a surface with a plurality of recesses therein, adevice carrying a plurality of pins or detents for engagement with saidsurface, means for shifting said pin carrying device longitudii'ially ofthe shaft to cause one or more of the pins thereof to engage anddisengage the said recesses, and a plate fast to the shaft positionedbetween the pin carrying device and said surface, said plate beingperforated to permit the movement of the stop pins therethroi'igh andbeing in engagement with said pins in the several shifted positions ofthe latter.

21. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft, aplaten fast to the shaft, a line-space wheel loose on the shaft, meanson said wheel having a surface with a plurality of recesses therein, adevice having yicldably mounted thereon a plurality of pins or cletentsfor engagement with said surface, means for shifting said pin carryingdevice longitiulimtlly of the shaft to cause one or more of the pinsthereof to engage and disengage the said recesses, and a plate fast tothe shaft positioned between the pin carrying device and said surface,said plate being perforated to permit the movement of the stop pinstherethrough and being in engagement with said pins in the severalshifted positions of the latter.

22. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft, aplaten on the shaft, a line-spacing wheel, means for releasablyconnecting the platen and linespacing Wheel comprising a surface havinga plurality of recesses therein and a device carrying a plurality ofaxially movable pins or detents for engagement With the said recesses,said detents and recesses being arranged differently on their respectivecarriers whereby certain; detents may be off center With respect toopposing recesses, While other detents are centered With respect toopposing recesses, a single spring individually operating a plurality ofsaid detent-s, and means for causing one or more of the detents toengage and disengage the said recesses; said pins or detents beingmounted to permit the same to yield on their carrier upon striking thesaid surface.

23. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen shaft a platenon the engagement With the recesses in said .ele-

ment, a plate fast to the platen and thereby held against rotationrelative to the platen, said plate having holes therein for guiding thedetents of the detent carrying device, and means for causing one or moreof the detents to engage and disengage the recesses in said element,said detents being arranged to lock the platen and line-spacing Wheel inany relative position of adjustment.

VALENTIN JOSEPH MOHLER.

Vitnesses:

FRANK A. Coon, LYMAN D. BROUGHTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

